Shizue
A feminine Japanese name meaning "to calm" or "to dispel".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Shizue. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shizue today is around 106 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shizue births was 1919 (41 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shizue. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Shizue is about 106 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Shizues were born before 1930.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Shizue. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1919
41 babies that year
Average age
106
years old
1935 SSA rank
#4,815
Tracked since 1904
Popularity
Shizue: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shizue from the 1900s through to the 1930s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 298 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shizue by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Shizue during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shizues live
Origin
Meaning and history of Shizue
The name Shizue is a Japanese given name with origins dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Japanese words "shizu" meaning "calm" or "quiet," and "e" which can mean "blessed" or "prosperous." The combination of these elements suggests a name meaning something along the lines of "calm prosperity" or "quiet blessing."
In early Japanese history, the name Shizue can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1185 AD). During this era, the Imperial Court placed great emphasis on refined arts and literature, and names often reflected ideals of beauty, tranquility, and harmony with nature. The name Shizue would have resonated with these cultural values.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Shizue was a Japanese noblewoman and lady-in-waiting who served at the Imperial Court during the late Heian period. She is mentioned in several historical records and diary accounts from the time, though exact dates are uncertain.
In the 16th century, a renowned Zen Buddhist monk named Shizue Yamamoto (1542-1612) gained fame for his teachings and contributions to the development of the Rinzai school of Zen. His life and works are well-documented in various Buddhist texts and historical chronicles.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), Shizue Katsura (1629-1703) was a highly respected female poet and calligrapher. Her poetic works were widely admired and continue to be studied and appreciated by scholars of classical Japanese literature.
In more recent history, Shizue Ogawa (1926-2008) was a celebrated Japanese author and recipient of prestigious literary awards such as the Akutagawa Prize and the Tanizaki Prize. Her novels and short stories, known for their poetic prose and exploration of human relationships, have been translated into numerous languages and enjoyed global acclaim.
Another notable figure was Shizue Tomoda (1924-2021), a pioneering Japanese woman scientist who made significant contributions to the field of microbiology. She was the first woman in Japan to earn a doctorate in agricultural science and played a crucial role in developing improved methods for cultivating microorganisms used in food production.
People
Shizue + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shizue as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shizue: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shizue?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shizue going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Shizue a common name?
We classify Shizue as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 608 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shizue most popular?
The single biggest year for Shizue was 1919, when 41 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shizue is about 106 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shizue a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shizue in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.